Srinagar, Sept. 7 -- The Irony of Teachers' Day in our Colleges

Every September 5th, India garlands its teachers with flowers and praise. Speeches are delivered, lofty words spoken about the noble role of educators in shaping the nation. Yet, amid the ceremonial tributes, a large community of teachers in Jammu and Kashmir remains unseen-nearly 2,700 contractual lecturers of Jammu and Kashmir colleges working under the Academic Arrangement scheme. For us, Teachers' Day is not a celebration. It is a cruel reminder of invisibility, neglect, and the painful gap between words and reality.

From Classrooms to Silence

I know this struggle first-hand. For years, I have served as a lecturer on academic arrangement at different degree colleges a...